Reconnaissance Corps Italy I am trying to trace my father's war record and have very little to go on other than an entry in the London Gazette for 9th Jan 1945 as he was mentioned in dispatches for services in Italy. There is no regiment number listed - it just says Recce R then gives the names and numbers of the troops. From his medals he was obviously in Italy , France and Germany but I also have a photo of him with Jerusalem written on the back. I have his service number from the London Gazette. I am particularly interested in where they went in Italy. I don't know a great deal about this period. Is there any way I can identify the actual regiment and their movements during WWII. I recall my father going to a reunion when we were in London in the Sixties - does anyone know of any records of these ? Grateful for any help given. Francie
Hi Francie, welcome to the forum. You've come to the right place, there are a couple of Recce enthusiasts here somewhere Do you have his service record?
No service record and I don't know where to start. He never spoke of anything he did during the war. I have only have a letter from the Sec of State for War mentioning his entry in the London Gazette - this is where I got his service number from. I see you are Portsmouth based - not far from me. My grandfather was in Portsmouth in WW1 - he was ex-Met Police. Francie
If you have his service number that is a good start. If you have his death certificate you will be able to apply for his service record - details are on the Veterans Agency website under 'service records'. There is a bit of a delay for these at the moment, over 6 months I believe. Would your grandfather's time in the Met in Portsmouth have been spent guarding the Dockyard? Its a little known fact that until relatively recently the Met Police guarded Portsmouth Dockyard, as it was a site of national importance and they were seen as the most reliable police force.
Francie, Hello and welcome to the forum. My late father was in ther 4th reconnaissance Regt, 4th Infantry Division. They were in N. Africa, Italy until January 1945 when they were all posted to Greece to Help the Greek Government regain control following the German withdrawal. You can certainly count out the 4th Recce if your father served in France. It appears highly likely that he served in the 5th Recce Regt as they were in Italy and were withdrawn to NW Europe for the final phase of the war. Hope that this is of help. Regards Tom
Francie - It is much more likely that your Father served with XXX corps who went back to the UK around Nov/Dec '43 along with VIII Armoured Brigade - the units involved were the 50th - 51st - 7th Armoured Divisions - Brigades seldom had their own Recce regts. Paul Reed's "British Divisions" will help to find the Recces in that Corps... Cheers
Francie - The 61st Recce Regt were attached to the 50th Division for a great part of their activities - the 51st Divisiion had the 2nd Derby Yeomenry and the 7th armoured had the 11th Hussars - the "Cherry Pickers" so it would appear that the 61st would be favourite - until his service records come up with the actual facts. Neither the 50th nor the 51st actually served in Italy as they left after the Sicilian campaign finished - some elements of 7th Armoured landed at Salerno and left after taking Naples. Cheers
Welcome to the forum, my father served with 56 Recce and you can rule that one out as they served in Nth Africa, Sicily, Italy and Austria. The 5th Recce Reg seems to be one in which your father served as 61st Recce was allocated to 50 Div in January 1944 and was broken up for reinforcements in January 1945. This is only speculation until you can get his service records. THE 5TH RECONNAISSANCE REGIMENT The Regiment was formed in February, 1941, from the 3rd Battalion Tower Hamlet Rifles (London Rifle Brigade). The 5th became the most travelled regiment of the Corps. Sailing for India in March, 1942, the Regiment served in Persia and Syria before arriving at an early stage of the Sicilian campaign. The Regiment was the first unit of the Corps into Italy fighting in that campaign until June, 1944. Finally the 5th came up from the south of France to take part in the last drive into Germany after the Rhine. From This Band of Brothers. Cheers Paul
Hello and welcome to the forum. I'd avoid the veterans website as it is quite confusing with (I found links to the wrong forms). Click on the link below for the Ministry of Defences site regarding getting your fathers service records from them. Army Personnel Centre - British Army Website Good luck Andy
Reconnaissance Corps Italy I am trying to trace my father's war record and have very little to go on other than an entry in the London Gazette for 9th Jan 1945 as he was mentioned in dispatches for services in Italy. There is no regiment number listed - it just says Recce R then gives the names and numbers of the troops. From his medals he was obviously in Italy , France and Germany but I also have a photo of him with Jerusalem written on the back. I have his service number from the London Gazette. I am particularly interested in where they went in Italy. I don't know a great deal about this period. Is there any way I can identify the actual regiment and their movements during WWII. I recall my father going to a reunion when we were in London in the Sixties - does anyone know of any records of these ? Grateful for any help given. Francie Dear Francie, I have spent some 20 years researching the Recce Corps and have built up my own archive of information on members of the Corps. If you could let me have your father's full name and if possible his service number I am sure I will be able to help you. With best wishes, Jawan
Hi Tom, Just let me know if I can help with Recce Corps research - it seems there are some equally avid "posters" on the forum. I was in Berlin 30 years ago - when Rudolf Hess was living in Spandau!! Keep in touch, Jawan
Sorry to hijack this thread. Jawan, welcome to the forum, if you use the search option there are a couple of threads about the 53rd Recce Regt, if you have any research on this we would very much appreciate your input, there are any number of photo's which may be of interest to you!!
Sorry to hijack this thread. Jawan, welcome to the forum, if you use the search option there are a couple of threads about the 53rd Recce Regt, if you have any research on this we would very much appreciate your input, there are any number of photo's which may be of interest to you!! Many thanks Dave - I have much to learn to contribute most effectively to the WW2 Talk site! It is easier for me to respond to specific questions, especially on individual members of the Recce Corps of specific actions or aspects of Army service, than more general matters. Happy to help if I can. Thanks for your welcome, Best wishes, Jawan
Jawan, Hello and welcome to the forum, my father was in 56 Recce. See my thread at http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/allied-units/16433-56th-reconnaissance-corps.html Sorry to hijack this thread. Cheers Paul
Many thanks Paul. Thanks to the late John Newton who kept the Old Comrades Association for 56 Recce going, their regular newsletters, and the other published material on the Battleaxe Division you have a head start over those researching many other Regiments! Do let mw know if I can help you, Best wishes, Jawan
